What makes you nervous?
I’ve been doing more in person talks and workshops, and one big difference between online and in-person is nerves!
Of course we need nerves to show up to help us through, so that feeling has never bothered me, but I have noticed the difference of intensity. My nerves show up in my finger tips. They tingle. And as I get ready to start the talk it intensifies. This never happened online, well only once when I was on a BBC World Service panel talking live, with Professors, and real life Experts, and stuff…
So I’ve been researching. Why do we get nerves and is there a way we can use them better.
I came across Motivational General Mastery, mental imagery where you image yourself strong, confident and winning (I think it’s used by athletes / sport stars). So I thought I’d give it a go. There was a guided talk online which helped you set the ‘positive’ scene in your head. ‘Imagine the best possible outcome’ it urged. I imagined the audience smiling and nodding and laughing and afterwards all coming up to me to say thank you and messages days later saying ‘wow your talk changed my life’ . I realise at this point I might have escalated the possible but why not!
Anyway, it did make me feel calmer, and the tingles less intense.
As for the best possible outcome, it would be fair to say it was not (quite / at all) realised. The audience were quite still. I think someone sneezed at some point and helped changed the energy a bit.
But it’s all good.
It’s not for me to make the audience react.
It’s for me to do my best talk.
And reducing nerves definitely helped me with the second talk later that day.
I mean, still no gushy messages received so far, but maybe they just forgot to tell me!
Don’t be afraid of nerves. Don’t try to get rid of them. They are here to help us. Use their energy to imagine a best possible outcome, and nail your talk.
Nerves are our friend.
eleanor